Novak Djokovic began his Roland Garros 2026 campaign with a hard-fought win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday at French Open 2026. The Serbian star defeated the home favourite 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 in the opening round on Court Philippe Chatrier. After the match, Djokovic shared an emotional moment with his children Tara and Stefan, who ran onto the court to celebrate with their father.The 39-year-old looked far from his best during the early stages of the match. Perricard pushed Djokovic with his powerful serves and aggressive style. However, the Serbian veteran stayed calm and slowly took control of the contest. The victory also helped Djokovic create another major record as he made his 82nd Grand Slam men’s singles appearance, moving ahead of Roger Federer and Feliciano López on the all-time list. Djokovic is now chasing his 25th Grand Slam title and fourth French Open crown.
Novak Djokovic shares emotional celebration with family after difficult first-round battle
After sealing the win, Novak Djokovic celebrated with a short dance on the baseline, a moment that quickly became popular on social media. The Serbian then skipped several of his usual post-match routines and headed directly toward his family. His daughter Tara and son Stefan rushed onto the court and hugged him tightly. Djokovic smiled warmly as he embraced both children before kissing them on their foreheads.Another video from the celebration showed Djokovic sharing a playful handshake with his 11-year-old son Stefan. He later greeted his wife Jelena Djokovic with a kiss in the stands. The couple have been together since their school days and married in 2014.Speaking after the match, Djokovic admitted that facing Perricard was extremely challenging. He praised the Frenchman’s powerful serving and said it was very difficult to predict where the ball would land. Djokovic explained that he had only experienced such serving ability a few times before in his career against players like Reilly Opelka and Ivo Karlović.The Serbian also said patience was the key to victory. He explained that he waited calmly for the right chance to break Perricard’s serve and finally took control after converting an important break point late in the match. Djokovic’s level improved strongly in the third set as he moved closer to the finish line.Djokovic will next face another French player, Valentin Royer, in the second round at Roland Garros.